Once Upon a Broken Well
by Cassidy J
Summary: [HOLD] Lady Glory, Texas: a town where there is a second chance for Kagome to return to the Sengoku Jidai and unravel the mystery that sealed the first well. But who is Maru, and what IS the secret of the tree?
1. I Want To Go Back!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha.  
**Author:** Cassidy Jewell.  
**Genre:** Romance. Angst.  
**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kagome  
**Comments:** A lame attempt at getting my muse working again?   
  
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**Chapter One**  
_I Want To Go Back!_  
  
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.  
  
The small... scratch that.  
  
The _miniscule_ town of Lady Glory, Texas hardly lived up to its name.  
  
Kagome bit her lip as she lowered her window. The air conditioner in her Stratus was broken, leaving her to rely on the wind - which was too hot to be called wind, in her private opinion. "This _is_ where Grandpa said we had to go, right, 'Yasha?"  
  
She glanced over at the small Pomeranian wilting on the floor before her passenger seat. The dog gave a half-hearted yip, looking up at her sadly.  
  
"I know, I know. Hopefully we can get directions somewhere around here..." Braking gently and slowing to an easy five mile-per-hour crawl, she craned her neck to read the various signs. "Hey, sweetie, there's a pet store! 'For your pet's every need.' Funny, it looks more like one of those barns I read about." The decision was easily made, and she pulled into the nearest available parking lot. "Come on, let's see if they'll get you some cold water."  
  
Immediately the animal's ears pricked up, tail wagging vigorously. Laughing, she reached over and picked him up before making her way to the store's entrance. It really did look remarkably similar to a barn that happened to be attached to a very big... building, of sorts. Well, a one-story building with an extremely high ceiling.  
  
Slipping through the doors, she lifted a hand to shade her eyes, squinting a little. The interior was dim compared to the brightness outside.  
  
"Can I help ya?"  
  
She blinked at the... person standing before her, tilting her head slightly. "I'm sorry, could you repeat yourself?" she asked politely, her grasp of English absolutely strained before what was widely (minus Japan, it seemed) known as the Texan drawl.  
  
"Can I help ya?" she repeated again cheerfully, looking curiously at the little Pom.  
  
"Can you... oh!" Blushing slightly, Kagome nodded. "My dog... can he have some water, please?" she requested hesitantly. "We just got in--"  
  
"Sure ya did!" Nodding in a friendly manner, the woman turned and shouted over her shoulder, "BILLY! Get this scrawny fluff some water, will ya?"  
  
Kagome's smile became a little strained as her dog's ears fell back. He never did have much self-confidence. "Thank you."  
  
"No problem." The employee looked her over again. "Hey, you Chinese or somethin'?"  
  
"Japanese..."  
  
"Oh, yeah." She nodded again. "So, what brings ya to Lady Glory?"  
  
"Well..." Kagome knelt down, placing her pet carefully on the floor, before rummaging through her pockets. "My grandfather bought some land here for me, and I need directions."  
  
"Oh, must be that old Rag Shrine place!"  
  
"Rag Shrine?" She blinked.  
  
"Yeah, has some foreign name or somethin' - Ragashi? Not sure, everyone just calls it Rag Shrine. Supposedly some Buddhist people or somethin' lived there twenty years ago. Oh!" Holding out her hand, the woman grinned. "Name's Annie. As in, 'Annie's Store'?"  
  
"Hig-- I mean, Kagome Higurashi. You own this place, Annie-san?" The Japanese woman grasped the other's hand in a firm shake.  
  
"You shake good. Can tell a lot about a person with their shake." Annie propped her hands on her hips and whistled. "Higarushi, huh? That's the name or Rag Shrine!"  
  
Instead of correcting her, Kagome nodded slightly. "My great-uncles," she explained with a smile. "One was a monk and the other was studying America. I'm not sure how, but they managed to get some land and build a temple here."  
  
"Really? Well hey, welcome to Lady Glory!" Annie grinned. "Rag Shrine's only some 10 minutes away. Pretty close by our standards! Most of our neighbors have quite a drive."  
  
"Ahh." That explained why the town was so... small. Population of 300, the sign said.  
  
"Hey, Billy! You get that water yet?"  
  
"Yeah, Ma, I got it." A lanky teen appeared behind her with a bowl that had to be three feet tall and filled with water. He staggered over, setting it carefully on the ground. "Water for your dog, ma'am," he nodded toward Kagome politely.  
  
She was getting used to the drawl, something she was quite proud of. But... "How is Inuyasha supposed to drink out of that?" she questioned hesitantly, looking at her half-foot-tall pet.  
  
He tilted his head at the metal water bowl, then began to bark at it ferociously.  
  
"Oh, well..." Billy scratched his head sheepishly. "It's the smallest bowl we got, ma'am. Maru took the others."  
  
"Maru's our groomer," Annie explained proudly. "He's good with those dogs. Lots of boys come in, since he don't charge near anythin' to clean 'em up good and cut off all that fur. Gets hot around here, ya know."  
  
"Groomer?" Kagome blinked, but gathered the meaning of the word. "Oh! Inuyasha needs a haircut... he gets too hot around here." As she spoke, she picked up the puppy and hushed his barking, taking him over to lap at the water.  
  
"Yeah? Well, Maru's in the back, and you can have some coffee with us while ya wait. Don't think he has too many clee-un-tell today. It's a fancy word," Annie added with a grin. "He taught it to us."  
  
"Oh...but I need to get to the house before it gets too dark," she apologized. "It might be hard to find it otherwise..." Her brow furrowed in distress.  
  
"Hey, don't worry about it!" She waved her hand carelessly. "But come over anytime and have a cup with Annie. Gets lonely without much women around here. Right, Billy?"  
  
"Uh... yes, ma'am," he agreed, having droned off in his own world long ago.  
  
    [...]
  
  
It was a lot different than she had expected. Not only was it rundown - in the most horrible of ways - but it reminded her of nothing more than the mini-shrine that had housed her well in Japan. It was square. It was brown. It was ugly.  
  
She wondered if it even kept out the rain.  
  
"This is a temple?"  
  
Making a face, she glanced down at her puppy. "Welcome home, 'Yasha."  
  
He gazed dubiously at the... monstrosity, then back at his owner with a reproachful 'I-better-get-really-good-Kibble' look.  
  
Shaking her head, Kagome pulled her suitcase along behind her and made her way to the front door. Various windows were smashed, giving her nothing more than a feeling of dread. This was where she was supposed to stay?  
  
Well, not that she was going to be here much. Grandpa said there was a well here that should connect to the Sengoku Jidai. After all, there was another God Tree here. It was the reason her uncles had made their lives here for a decade.  
  
Though they could have had better housing.  
  
Shoving open the door, which was barely attached to its hinges anyway, she stumbled into the first room. Oh, but it was dark. Too dark.  
  
Fumbling around the wall yielded her a light switch that didn't work, as well.  
  
Groaning softly, she squinted, trying to make out the layout of the place using the natural light. "It's nearly sundown," she muttered. "How am I supposed to find a place to sleep until morning when I can't make my way around?"  
  
As was normal when she was alone, she spoke Japanese. Though efficient in English (due to many a grueling day of studying after the well had mysteriously sealed itself), it was far from 'natural' to her.  
  
Jamming her fingers through her hair, she exited the house. Perhaps she would be better off looking for that well. Maybe in the back?  
  
"Come on, 'Yasha!" she called cheerfully, snapping her fingers. The fluffy Pom gave a helpless whine and trotted behind her, panting. Though with sundown came a cooling breeze, he was still far too hot, and expending energy didn't appeal. Of course, being alone didn't, either.  
  
For once unaware of her pet's predicament, Kagome made her way through the dead grass - oddly only ankle-high - while looking around alertly. Where would her uncles put that well?  
  
"Inuyasha, where are you... 'Yasha! Get back here!"  
  
The Pomeranian was suddenly darting past her, running excitedly toward her destination while barking excitedly. He completely ignored her words, causing Kagome to run after him with mental grumbling. Fine time for him to remember he could run and be a puppy in such uncrowded surroundings.  
  
"'Yasha, what are you... Oh!" Skidding to a stop, she gazed at the tree with a feeling of awe. There weren't many around her - trees, that was - which immediately made this one a center of attention. But more than that, she immediately recognized it as Goshinboku's brother.  
  
The sound of barking tore her gaze away, and she frowned in faint annoyance as Inuyasha jumped half-heartedly beside what was undoubtedly a well. He glanced behind him, panting happily as his mistress came over.  
  
"You," she lectured sternly, "Are not getting _any_ kibble tonight."  
  
He looked unrepentant, causing her to roll her eyes. As intelligent as he was, he simply didn't understand Japanese. Curiously, she peered into the well's depths, wrinkling her nose as a familiar smell caught at her. Water?  
  
Her shoulders slumped. How was she supposed to get to the Sengoku Jidai if water was in her way?  
  
Three years... The well in Japan had been sealed now for three years. Three Shikon shards were still tied around her neck.  
  
How were Inuyasha? Sango? Miroku? Shippou? What was Naraku up to? And... and Kikyou?  
  
Though she had held no love for the undead priestess, she had always felt an affinity with her. Especially that day she had thought things through and realized that they both cared for the brash hanyou.  
  
As it stood now, the Shikon no Tama could not be completed. How much devastation had been wrought during her absence? And the question that plagued her most of all... why and how had the well been sealed?  
  
All these answers she had thought would be found here. That was why she had worked so hard to become proficient in English, to be able to travel through America. Mama, Grandpa, and even Souta should have accompanied her, but... Grandpa had a stroke, and Mama hadn't wanted to leave him. Then it had been even more imperative for her to be able to move freely.  
  
All that work, and now... now she had a well that could not take her to her second life? To her friends, to her duty?  
  
She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, falling to the ground and pulling her knees to her chest. "Inuyasha..."  
  
How were they faring, without her? Did she cause little Shippou tears? And Sango... How would they feel, when another person they cared for simply disappeared out of their lives?  
  
Inuyasha and Miroku as well...  
  
And oh, old Kaede. How was she doing? Age must surely be creeping up on her, despite her strong heart and great wisdom.  
  
"I want to go back," she whispered, burying her face in her arms.  
  
*`*`*`*`*`  
  
**CJ's Blurb:** I'm back. Maybe? Uh... I've really been out of the Inuyasha craze. Trying to see if I can butter up my muse to work. *shrug* Not sure if it will.  
  
I snuggles my family. *cuddles Reiku, Profiler, Panda, and Sandy* Luff you all! ^_^  
  
Okay, this chapter was... crap. Do you all still love me? *puppy eyes* 


	2. Predestined Meeting And Giggling Trees

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha.  
**Author:** Cassidy Jewell.  
**Genre:** Romance. Angst. Humor. Stupidity.  
**Pairing(s):** Sesshoumaru/Kagome  
**Comments:** A lame attempt at getting my muse working again?  
****

**Chapter Two  
**_Predestined Meeting – and Giggling Trees._

Maru was far from a talkative person, and liked his life that way. Talking was nothing more than a means of getting in trouble, and he was absolutely certain that he didn't like trouble. In fact, he avoided it – being far too busy grooming to deal with other things.

Like his past.

And his brother.

And that damned tree.

Which didn't explain why he was here, _taking care_ of that damned tree.

And most certainly didn't explain why he heard a name he hadn't heard in a long time, being shouted from a voice he hadn't heard in a long time, in a place he never expected to… well, hear either of them.

"Inuyasha!"

He turned in surprise, looking down at the puppy panting ever-so-happily at his ankle. Then up at the girl-woman running toward him.

Then at the tree, which had nothing to say about the entire thing.

"Who are you?" he asked rudely as the girl began to apologize, bending down to pick up the little mongrel. (It apparently wanted to chew his shoes.)

"—and I didn't realize anyone was… what? Oh, Kagome. Um, Higurashi K—um. Kagome Higurashi."

He frowned.

"I just moved here," she added helpfully, apparently unnerved by his stare. Inuyasha gazed wistfully at Maru's shoelaces, so temptingly… white.

"Um, like five minutes ago," she added again, sounding a little quieter than before.

"Move back," Maru muttered, turning his back on her and looking up at the tree. It was still silent, which was no real surprise.

"I'm sorry?" Kagome blinked. "Could you repeat yourself?"

"Move. Back." Maru turned and frowned at her. "To Japan."

"J—how did you know I—"

"Now."

"Excuse me, but you are being rather—"

"Go."

"—rude and besides I—"

"Leave."

"—own this land and—"

"Go. Away." His eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"—really don't appreciate being thrown off of it!" she finished rather triumphantly, though her voice had risen a bit to the end.

He arched a supercilious brow. "You're not speaking English."

"I – oh- oooooooooh." Kagome stamped her foot and squeezed Inuyasha. "Get off my land!" she yelled, before storming away.

Maru frowned at her retreating back, then turned back to the tree. It giggled.

…

"Goway." Kagome shivered and pulled the blanket over her head.

"Wake up."

"Gowaaaayyyy."

"Wake up."

"Gowayyyyyyy."

"We're eating your dog for dinner."

"Unnkay."

"…With some roasted branches for dessert."

"Unnnnh – what?" Kagome's eyes snapped open almost before she jerked upright, managing to smash her forehead into a very unfamiliar wall. "Ow."

The wall moved away. "Are you awake now?"

Her eyes nearly crossed as she gazed up, somehow unsurprised to see Maru standing impatiently in front of her. (And why was he wearing her shirt, anyway?)

"Yes?"

"Get up."

"Why?" Kagome, oddly enough, did not question his presence.

"Because youuuuuuu'rrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeee…"

_Beep. Beep._

Kagome twitched and smacked her hand over her cell phone, then groaned and rolled over, knocking the phone to the floor.

Inuyasha licked her nose.

"Gyah. Goway, you stinky dog." She opened one eye to glare balefully at her pet, who wagged his tail happily. "Take yourself out."

_"We're eating your dog for dinner."_

She twitched violently as she remembered her dream (nightmare?), and groaned as Inuyasha happily licked her ear. "Okay, okay. Mommy's getting up already."

Sighing, the girl slid out of bed, grabbing her robe from its resting position on the floor and stumbling out of her room, Pomeranian following at her heels. "Three weeks," she muttered. "Three weeks and no change."

She paused on her way to the front door, glaring at the man sitting at her kitchen table. "_Almost_ no change," she corrected herself loudly, pushing the door open grumpily and letting the pup outside.

Then she stumbled over to the table and collapsed into a chair, reaching over the tabletop to filch a forkful of egg that had been on its way to Maru's mouth.

Maru gave up the fork and nudged the plate in her direction. "Are you leaving yet?" he asked bluntly.

"No," she responded – just as bluntly and with a toothy smile besides. "Are you?"

He grunted, a sound he had apparently adopted in the past few days as a give-all response to any of her questions.

She thought it was his response to her dying his hair black (which had to be his natural hair color – she'd seen his legs before. And besides, what man actually had real white hair at his young age?). Or maybe it was his response to her locking him into the bathroom for two days (his hair had been so soft when he came out too… and her hot water nonexistent).

Either way, it made Kagome wrinkle her nose and frown, just before slamming the fork onto the table. "Okay, Maru-chan – what's with the tree?"

He grunted again and picked up the newspaper.

Kagome poked it with her fork. "Well?"

He gazed pointedly at his eggs in her possession. Kagome scowled and shoved the plate back at him, giving him the fork as well.

"I want answers when Inuyasha is done going potty," she warned him, shoving away from the table and storming back into her room. "But first, sleep."

- - - - -

**I must be on crack.**

But who cares.

And Lord, I need to write more often.


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